Prac One: Alonso sets the early pace

Fernando Alonso's 2014 season got off to the perfect start as he set the pace in Friday's opening practice in Melbourne while others struggled.

Putting in the laps in his F14T, the double World Champion posted a 1:31.840 to edge McLaren's Jenson Button by half a second.

Williams drivers Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were next in line ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.

Having the better of the running at the reigning World Champions, the Australian driver completed 26 laps with a best time of 1:32.599.

It was a marked contrast to Sebastian Vettel's fortunes as the German sat out the first half of the session and only just managed to reach double figures as he covered 10 laps. The good news, though, is his 1:32.793 was good enough for seventh place.

Nico Rosberg split the Bulls in sixth while his team-mate Lewis Hamilton didn't even complete a single lap. Billed as the early season favourite, Hamilton broke down on his installation lap and reported to his team: "Car's stopped, some smoke out of the back."

Kevin Magnussen was the top rookie in eighth place ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Jean-Eric Vergne.

It was a dismal session for Lotus as Romain Grosjean never made it out and Pastor Maldonado completed just two laps. Caterham also failed to set a time.